The Hokage's office felt lived-in, documents stacked with the organized chaos of someone who actually used his workspace. Hiruzen sat comfortably behind his desk, pipe resting in one hand while he sorted through a scroll with the other. Despite the late afternoon light filtering through the windows, he seemed perfectly at ease with the mountain of work surrounding him.
"Now then," he said, setting the scroll aside and giving me his full attention, "you mentioned something about Orochimaru in the forest. Please, sit." He gestured to the chair across from him. "Tell this old man what you heard."
Alright, how much do I reveal here? Need to give him something substantial enough that he takes action, but not so much that I mess up future events. The curse mark situation should work—it's a real threat he can't ignore, but won't completely derail the timeline.*
I settled into the offered chair. "I was moving through sector seven when I overheard a conversation between some Hidden Grass genin. At first, I thought it was just normal exam talk, but then I caught something odd."
Hiruzen leaned back slightly, his weathered hands folded calmly in his lap. "Oh? What caught your attention?"
"Two of them were addressing their teammate with unusual respect. They kept calling him 'Orochimaru-sama.'"
The change in Hiruzen was subtle but unmistakable. His posture remained relaxed, but his eyes sharpened with the focused attention of someone who'd survived decades of political intrigue and warfare. The pipe in his hand stilled completely.
"I see." His voice remained calm, almost conversational. "That is indeed... concerning. What else did you overhear?"
"They were discussing plans involving something called a curse mark. The target they mentioned was Sasuke Uchiha." I paused, watching his reaction. "I could sense the Uchiha boy's chakra signature from my position—he was maybe three kilometers northeast of where they were, but they seemed to be moving in his general direction."
Hiruzen's expression grew thoughtful, his fingers drumming once against the desk before going still. When he spoke, his voice carried the weight of someone making a difficult decision.
"Young man, I'm going to ask you to remain here in my office for a short while. There's tea on the side table if you'd like some." He stood with the fluid grace of someone who'd maintained his physical conditioning well into his advanced years. "What you've told me requires immediate attention."
He moved to a cabinet, pulling out his field gear with practiced efficiency. "I don't suppose you happened to notice which direction they were heading when you last saw them?"
"Northeast, toward the central area of the forest. They seemed confident about their route."
"Mm." Hiruzen nodded, securing his armor with swift, economical movements. "You've done well bringing this to my attention. Not many genin would have had the presence of mind to recognize the significance of what they'd overheard."
Here it comes.*
The Hokage's form flickered and vanished—the Body Flicker Technique launching him through the window so quickly that only a faint displacement of air marked his passage.
Well, that definitely got his attention. Guy went from zero to combat-ready in about thirty seconds.*
I could sense the ANBU positioned around the building—their chakra signatures carefully suppressed but not completely hidden from my enhanced perception. At least three that I could detect, probably more.
The chair was comfortable enough, worn smooth by decades of visitors both welcome and otherwise. I settled in to wait, noting how Hiruzen had left his pipe still smoldering in the ashtray—he'd been in more of a hurry than he'd let on.
This is playing out perfectly. Whether he gets there in time to prevent the curse mark entirely or just mitigate it, he's going to owe me for this information. That should be worth a high-level gacha ticket without compromising any of the major events I'm counting on.*
I could have mentioned Kabuto's double agent status, but that would interfere with the invasion plans. Can't have that—when the reanimated First and Second Hokage show up, that's going to be worth premium rewards. Plus Gaara's Shukaku transformation at the finals should net me another solid ticket.*
The system interface appeared at my mental command, showing the familiar red notification dot over the rewards section. A quick tap revealed a gleaming Rank 6 gacha ticket waiting for collection from Gaara fight.
Tempting to roll it now, but if it materializes something conspicuous, explaining that to my ANBU audience would be awkward at best.*
Nearly an hour passed before the window frame creaked and Hiruzen reappeared, looking considerably more worn than when he'd left. His armor showed scorch marks, there were fresh tears in his uniform, and he moved with the careful precision of someone nursing injuries.
"Hokage-sama," I said, standing up from the spot "How did it go?"
He settled heavily into his chair, reaching immediately for his pipe and taking a long, contemplative draw before answering.
"The boy is alive and unharmed, for the most part." His expression was troubled as he exhaled smoke. "I'm afraid I arrived just as the mark was being placed. I was able to interrupt the process and apply a Seal to suppress its effects, but..." He shrugged with a resigned sigh "The curse mark itself has taken hold."
So the timeline stays mostly intact, but with some interference. Perfect.*
"I managed to drive him off...though I suspect that was more due to his objectives being complete than any real advantage on my part." Hiruzen's eyes found mine, as he gave me a smile "If you hadn't brought this information to me when you did, I have no doubt that boy would be in a much worse situation right now."
He leaned forward slightly, his expression warm with genuine gratitude "You showed real wisdom today, young man. Many shinobi, even experienced ones, would have dismissed what they heard as irrelevant or been too intimidated to approach me directly."
"I just thought you should know. Any loyal shinobi would have done the same."
"Perhaps," he said with a slight smile, "but not every shinobi would have had the confidence to act on incomplete information, or the judgment to recognize its importance." He took another draw from his pipe. "You know, you remind me of someone I once knew. Brilliant, determined, someone with a great moral character."
The fondness in his expression faded slightly. "Your performance in the Forest of Death was truly remarkable, by the way. Twenty minutes—in fifty years of overseeing these exams, I've never seen anything like it."
Time for my real objective.*
"Actually, Hokage-sama, since you brought that up, I was hoping I could ask you for something."
His eyebrows raised with interest. "Oh? What might that be?"
"I'd like to request an opportunity to spar with you, if you'd be willing."
Hiruzen blinked, then set down his pipe with deliberate care. "You'd like to... spar with me?"
"The genin in the forest were honestly disappointing. I barely had to exert myself at all." I met his gaze directly. "Since I'm here in Konoha anyway, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to test myself against someone with real skill."
For a moment, he simply studied my face. Then he began to chuckle—a warm, genuinely amused sound that filled the office.
"You know, most genin can barely make eye contact with me for making such a request, and here you are requesting that I beat you senseless in a training match." His eyes crinkled with humor as I ignored the senseless part "I have to admire your confidence, young one"
He leaned back in his chair, considering "Why not? I'm curious to see how you managed that forest performance in person, and frankly, I could use some proper exercise. I've been trapped behind this desk for far too long."
He gestured at the paperwork covering every surface. "Though I'll need about two- three days to work through this administrative backlog. Would the timing after that be alright for you? Or I think It would be perfect if we wait and see how this examination turns out and then decide for our duel, because I don't want you to over exert yourself before possible preliminaries that might happen or not"
Exactly what I was hoping for.*
"That would be perfect, Hokage-sama."
"Excellent." His expression grew more serious, although it was more like a joke "Though I should mention—this arrangement stays between us. I don't need more ambitious young shinobis from across the village lining up outside my office, challenging me to prove their worth."
"Of course. I understand completely."
Mission accomplished.*
My room at the inn was cramped but functional, the narrow bed adequate for someone who didn't need much sleep anyway. I stretched out and stared at the ceiling, mind already working through the implications of the afternoon's success.
Hokage successfully warned, future gacha ticket secured, timeline preservation intact. Not bad for a day's work.*
Time to see what Rank 6 ticket had to offer this time.
The interface materialized with a thought, and I activated the ticket.
[Rank 6 Gacha Ticket - Rolling...*
[REWARD OBTAINED: Blessing of the Sea Goddess*
The depths recognize you as kindred. Any sort of Sea water weakness or curses are eliminated. All marine life acknowledges your dominion. The oceans themselves will heed your call.*
I stared at the notification for several seconds, then burst into laughter.
This is too perfect.*
All this time I'd been carefully avoiding large bodies of water because of that leopard devil fruit weakness, and now that limitation was simply... gone. The one vulnerability that could counter my water manipulation had been erased entirely.
From having absolute water control with a critical weakness to complete aquatic supremacy. That's what I call a significant upgrade.*
I sat up on the bed, stretching my arms above my head as I considered the possibilities.
Four and a half days until the other teams finish stumbling through the forest. Can't exactly spend that time playing tourist, when there are are potential gacha tickets out there waiting.*
I can't start challenging random jonin around Konoha though, that would raise too many questions or I doubt that most would agree to it. Can't hop over to other villages and pick fights with their Kage either—that's asking for a while village to get killed by me, and that the incident I don't need.*
But what about the Akatsuki?*
The idea was completely insane, which probably meant it was exactly the kind of thing I should be considering. Pain and Konan were residing in the Hidden Rain Village, and if things went badly, I could always use Shadow Exchange to get out of there.
Would need a proper disguise though. Mask, cloak, the full mysterious stranger treatment. Even though I am taking the identity of someone else right now, I need to keep my original identity as a backup for the future, as the plot is not promised when you're screwing it up voluntarily. And I'd need a detailed map—Shadow Exchange only works if I know exactly where I'm going.*
This plan is either brilliant or suicidal. Possibly both. But I know I'll adapt*
I rolled off the bed and headed for the door. Time to do some shopping.
The weapons district of Konoha was exactly what I'd expected—narrow streets lined with shops selling everything from basic kunai to specialized gear that probably violated several international treaties. The late afternoon crowd was light, mostly chunin restocking after missions and the occasional civilian looking for kitchen knives.
I found what I was looking for in a cramped shop wedged between a ramen stand and a flower store. The proprietor was an elderly man with suspicious eyes who asked no questions when I browsed his selection of masks and cloaks. Perfect.
I was examining a plain white mask with minimal design when a familiar voice cut through the ambient street noise.
"Well, well. The mysterious genin from Takigakure. We meet again"
I turned to find Temari leaning against the shop's doorframe, her massive fan strapped to her back and that trademark smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. She'd changed out of her combat gear into a more casual outfit—dark pants and a sleeveless top that showed off her toned arms—but she still carried herself with the confident posture of someone who could end fights before they started.
"Temari." I set the mask back on its display hook. "How's your brother?"
"Looking for you to taste your blood" She pushed off from the doorframe and walked closer, her green eyes studying my face "But since we're within Konoha, he can't do much, other than waiting for another chance to fight against you"
"Lucky me" I sighed jokingly as I looked her in the eyes "Looks like I won't be as lucky next time, because I gave everything I got in that battle"
"Don't fool me" The word came out flat and matter-of-fact "It's not everything that you got. Takigakure always been a small-time village, and suddenly they produce someone who can take down Gaara like it's not such a big thing?"
"Maybe your brother isn't as invincible as people think."
Temari's eyes flashed with something between amusement and annoyance. "Don't play coy with me. I've seen Gaara fight for years—watching him tear apart chunins without moving a finger. What you did shouldn't have been possible."
She moved closer, close enough that I could smell her shampoo—something light and floral that didn't quite fit with her warrior image. "So I'm curious. What's your motive? Why show mercy to three Sand shinobis you could have killed without breaking a sweat?"
"Killing people with clean hearts is wasteful," I said simply "You guys were doing your job. Can't fault someone for that."
"Clean hearts?" She laughed, a sound with genuine mirth in it. "You've got an interesting way of looking at things. Most people see Gaara and run screaming in the other direction."
"That's only if you are weak"
"Hm" She glanced at the masks and cloaks I'd been examining, her expression growing thoughtful. "Planning something interesting?"
"Just browsing."
"Right." Her tone suggested she didn't believe that for a second. "Let me guess? Some training session where you don't want to be recognized? Or is it something more dangerous?"
"If I told you I like to cosplay, would you believe that?"
Temari studied my face for several seconds, those sharp green eyes searching for something. Whatever she found there seemed to satisfy her, because her stance relaxed slightly.
"You know, most guys who could flatten my little brother would be bragging about it by now" She stepped closer, well within personal space, her voice dropping to something almost conversational. "But you're different, aren't you?"
"Different how?"
"Confident without being arrogant. Strong without needing to prove it." Her lips curved in a small smile. "It's... fun to watch"
Is she flirting with me? In a weapons shop while I'm buying disguises for what might be a suicide mission?*
"You're not exactly typical yourself," I said. "Most kunoichi would be plotting revenge after what happened to their teammate."
"Gaara's not just my teammate—he's my little brother. And what happened to him might be the weirdest thing that's occurred in years." Her expression grew serious. "For the first time since we were kids, he looked confused instead of bloodthirsty demon"
She reached out and picked up the mask I'd been examining, turning it over in her hands "Plain white. Classic choice for someone who wants to be anonymous"
"You seem to know a lot about masks."
She set the mask back down and looked directly at me "Whatever you're planning, be careful. Konoha's got more dangerous people than you might expect."
"Thanks for the concern, but I can handle myself."
"I'm sure you can." She stepped back, that confident smirk returning. "Still, it would be a shame if something happened to you before I figured out what were you planning to do with these stuff."
She turned to leave, then paused at the doorway. "Oh, and if you're ever in Suna after all this exam nonsense is over, look me up. I'd love to see what you can do when you're not holding back"
With that, she disappeared into the crowd, leaving me alone with an elderly shopkeeper who was pretending very hard that he hadn't been eavesdropping on every word.
Curse of Blondes still remains or should I say blessing?*
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